Night Shift maintenance manager

Department: Maintenance & Engineering
Reports To: Maintenance & Engineering Manager
Location: United Dairy
Shift: Night Shift (typically 6:00 PM – 6:00 AM, as scheduled)

Position Summary

The Night Shift Maintenance Manager is responsible for leading all maintenance operations during the night shift while driving equipment reliability, employee accountability, and continuous improvement. This position is expected to prioritize preventative maintenance (PM), predictive maintenance (PdM), and root cause analysis over reactive repairs. The successful candidate will possess exceptional mechanical aptitude, strong electrical and controls troubleshooting skills, and the leadership ability to build a culture of ownership and accountability.

This role ensures that production equipment is maintained safely, efficiently, and reliably while minimizing downtime and supporting food safety and quality standards.

Essential ResponsibilitiesLeadership & Accountability

• Lead, coach, and develop the night shift maintenance team.
• Hold technicians accountable for workmanship, productivity, attendance, safety, and completion of assigned work.
• Set clear expectations and follow through with consistent coaching and performance management.
• Promote a culture of ownership, professionalism, and continuous improvement.
• Coordinate maintenance priorities with production leadership while maintaining focus on long-term equipment reliability.

Preventative & Predictive Maintenance (Primary Focus)

• Drive execution of all scheduled preventative maintenance activities.
• Ensure PMs are completed thoroughly—not simply checked off.
• Develop and improve PM procedures based on equipment history and failure trends.
• Utilize predictive maintenance techniques including:
• Vibration analysis
• Thermal imaging
• Ultrasound inspections
• Oil analysis
• Motor condition monitoring
• Visual inspections and trend analysis
• Identify potential failures before they result in downtime.
• Monitor equipment performance and recommend improvements to increase reliability and reduce maintenance costs.

Reliability & Continuous Improvement

• Lead root cause failure investigations.
• Eliminate recurring equipment failures through permanent corrective actions.
• Improve Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF).
• Reduce emergency breakdown maintenance through proactive planning.
• Recommend equipment modifications and upgrades to improve reliability, safety, and maintainability.

Controls & Electrical Troubleshooting

• Troubleshoot PLC-controlled manufacturing equipment.
• Diagnose issues involving:
• PLC I/O
• Sensors
• Photoeyes
• Proximity switches
• VFDs
• Servo systems
• HMI interfaces
• Control relays
• 24 VDC and 480 VAC control circuits
• Read and interpret electrical schematics, ladder logic, and mechanical drawings.
• Work with automation and engineering personnel to improve machine performance.

Mechanical Maintenance

Strong mechanical troubleshooting is expected, including:

• Pumps
• Gearboxes
• Bearings
• Chains and sprockets
• Hydraulic systems
• Pneumatic systems
• Compressors
• Conveyors
• Packaging equipment
• Fillers
• Homogenizers
• Heat exchangers
• Motors and power transmission equipment

Food Safety & Compliance

• Support all food safety, GMP, SQF, OSHA, and plant safety initiatives.
• Ensure maintenance activities meet sanitary design and food manufacturing requirements.
• Maintain accurate maintenance records and documentation.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Technical degree or apprenticeship preferred.
• 7 years industrial maintenance experience.
• 3 years in a maintenance leadership or supervisory role preferred.
• Strong background in food manufacturing or high-speed packaging preferred.
• Demonstrated success leading preventative and predictive maintenance programs.

Required Skills

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Excellent mechanical troubleshooting abilities.
• Advanced electrical and controls troubleshooting.
• PLC troubleshooting experience (Allen-Bradley preferred).
• Strong understanding of industrial automation.
• Ability to read electrical and mechanical drawings.
• Strong planning and organizational skills.
• Excellent communication and leadership abilities.
• Ability to prioritize work in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Commitment to safety and continuous improvement.

Performance Expectations

Success in this position will be measured by:

• High completion rate and quality of preventative maintenance.
• Reduction in emergency equipment failures.
• Increased equipment reliability and uptime.
• Improved MTBF and reduced downtime.
• Effective development and accountability of maintenance personnel.
• Safe operation with zero preventable safety incidents.
• Accurate maintenance documentation and work order completion.
• Positive collaboration with production and operations teams.

Leadership Philosophy

The Night Shift Maintenance Manager is expected to build a proactive maintenance culture where equipment failures are anticipated rather than reacted to. This leader will emphasize planning over firefighting, root cause correction over temporary fixes, and accountability over excuses. The successful candidate leads by example, develops technicians, and continuously improves the reliability of the plant's equipment while supporting United Dairy's commitment to safety, quality, and operational excellence.

Pay: $60,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance

Work Location: In person

Salary : $60,000 - $90,000